Liner Notes for the Screenwriter William Goldman Was Addison
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A Bridge Too Far , Richard Attenbor - But every penny of that 22 million dollar march music was often quite optimistic ough’s 1977 epic 22 million dollar film budget is on the screen, and thanks to and upbeat. And it was later on, when adapted from the 1974 book by Cor - the literate screenplay by Goldman, and things started to go wrong, that one felt nelius Ryan, tells the story of Operation the excellent performances by the large more of the irony of the loss of life and Market Garden, the failed Allied attempt cast, Attenborough created a com - various tragic elements about a battle to break through German lines and take pelling film that holds up beautifully all that did not succeed as had been several bridges at a time when the Ger - these years later. For such a huge and hoped. One of the final images left on mans were on the retreat. Joseph E. impressive production, A Bridge Too Far the screen after the retreat, capture or Levine financed the entire film by him - received no Academy Award nomina - death of the remaining Allied forces is self, selling off distribution rights as film - tions whatsoever (it was the year of of a small child marching along proudly ing continued – by the time the film was Annie Hall) , but did receive several with his toy rifle over his shoulder – to finished it was already four million dol - BAFTA nominations including Best Film the sounds of the once cheerful XXX lars into the black, a pretty amazing feat. and Best Director – it took home several Corps march. This, perhaps, is Richard wins – co-star Edward Fox, cameraman Attenborough’s final comment.” Levine assembled a stellar creative Geoffrey Unsworth, Best Sound, and team – in addition to Attenborough, one for the film’s musical score by John In Attenborough’s liner notes for the screenwriter William Goldman was Addison. original LP release of the score, he said hired to adapt Ryan’s book. Goldman of Addison, “I shall never forget the oc - began his writing career as a novelist By the time of A Bridge Too Far , John casion when, at Joe Levine’s invitation, but achieved his greatest successes as Addison had written several classic film he saw the actual film. At the end he a screenwriter, most notably of Butch scores (Tom Jones, The Loved One, was obviously greatly moved. ‘One Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All The Sleuth, Torn Curtain, The Charge of the works because one must,’ he said, ‘but President’s Men, Harper, The Stepford Light Brigade, Start the Revolution With - sometimes the work is what you want Wives, Misery, Marathon Man, Magic, out Me, The Seven-Percent Solution) , with all your being and this, for me, is The Princess Bride (the latter three all and had been nominated twice for one of those occasions. If I can’t write adapted from his novels), and many Academy Awards, winning for Tom something wonderful for this film, then I others. The cinematographer was Geof - Jones . When Addison found out that should give up.’ When Joe Levine and I frey Unsworth (2001: A Space Odyssey, Richard Attenborough was going to sat in the small music room of John’s Cabaret, Murder On The Orient Ex - make A Bridge Too Far , he called Atten- Los Angeles home and listened to him press, Superman, Tess) , and even the borough and said he desperately playing the score on his piano for the second unit had impressive credits – the wanted to do the music for the film, as first time, we were both on the verge of second aerial cameraman was the bril - he had a very personal connection to it tears. He had, indeed, written some liant Jack Cardiff, and the second unit – as a young soldier he’d served with truly wonderful music.” was directed by Sidney Hayers (director the XXX Corps, the tank division that of Circus of Horrors, Burn, Witch, Burn , was at the heart of Operation Market A Bridge Too Far was originally released and a lot of The Avengers episodes). Garden. on a United Artists LP. In 1999, Ryko is - sued it on CD, which subsequently went But as stellar as the creative team was, And Addison delivered the goods, com - out of print – it has been out of print for it was the all-star cast that was truly posing one of his greatest scores, with years now and is a much-requested amazing – Dirk Bogarde, James Caan, a rousing, tuneful march at its center, title, which is why we decided to reissue Laurence Olivier, Ryan O’Neal, Robert stirring action music, and some stun - it. The original LP masters were used for Redford, Sean Connery, Michael Caine, ning dramatic cues. Talking about a few the CD, and we’ve remastered it for this Edward Fox, Anthony Hopkins, Gene of the musical cues, Addison said, “I CD release. Hackman, Hardy Kruger, Maximilian tried to invest into the music accompa - Schell, Liv Ullman, along with a lot of nying the huge air armada crossing John Addison passed away in Decem - well-known British and German charac - from England to Holland some sense of ber of 1998, leaving behind a legacy of ter actors. weight and power. The principal melody great film and concert music. He was a was carried by brass instruments such master of his craft and a unique voice in The film, which runs just under three as trombones and I think that while one film scoring. He is much missed. hours, received mixed notices, and did obviously had the aircraft engines reasonably good business, but audi - sound, the music did create this ele - — Bruce Kimmel ences of the day just weren’t that inter - ment of strength and power in the way ested in three-hour WWII films anymore. that music can. Earlier in the film the.